Two charged in NRL betting scam

THE rugby league world was rocked by the arrests yesterday of leading player manager Sam Ayoub and controversial ex-player John Elias in relation to the police investigation into suspicious betting activity - and there could be further bombshells in relation to the matter today.

The Herald understands additional information regarding the investigation into the game between the Bulldogs and Cowboys last August is likely to come to light from police quickly, shining the spotlight even more brightly on the matter just a week out from the kick-off of the NRL premiership.

Elias was arrested at 9.45am at a home in Punchbowl. Ayoub was arrested at 11am, after presenting himself to Campsie police. Both men were charged with attempt to obtain financial advantage by deception, which Detective Superintendent Arthur Katsogiannis said carried a maximum penalty of 10 years' imprisonment.

Police also executed a search warrant at Ayoub's business premises, at Leichhardt. Ayoub and Elias were granted conditional bail to appear at the Downing Centre on April 7.

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News of the arrests followed a major development earlier yesterday, when police laid an additional three charges against Bulldogs prop Ryan Tandy of providing false or misleading evidence to a NSW Crime Commission hearing, which was an extension of the Casino and Racing Investigation unit's inquiry into the betting.

Tandy already faced one charge of providing false or misleading evidence to the commission against his name. He pleaded not guilty to the four counts at a hearing at the Downing Centre in Sydney.

Back in the news ... John Elias. Photo: Simon Alekna

Katsogiannis, representing the Casino and Racing Investigation unit, said of the obtain financial advantage by deception charges: ''We will be alleging these individuals dishonestly placed bets on the game, in the knowledge that the outcome of that game had been pre-determined.''

He was referring to the plunge on the Cowboys to open the scoring with a penalty goal, which attracted bets that would have won more than $300,000 from various TAB agencies and corporate bookmakers. It did not come off.

''This investigation has always been about truth and integrity,'' he said. ''These are serious allegations which go to the heart of the game and ultimately erode public confidence.''

Katsogiannis refused to speculate on whether there would be further arrests, but said the investigation was ongoing. ''Whilst a major part of the investigation has been completed, I'd like to reiterate that it is not yet over. There is still work to be done and we urge anyone with information to come forward and contact investigators and/or Crimestoppers.

''There is still information coming to hand. We're sifting through that information, and what we verify from that will determine whether there will be further charges.''

It is anticipated further charges will be laid.

Tandy was originally charged in relation to the commission hearings on February 2. On the same day, police executed search warrants at the homes of Tandy, Ayoub and Elias, at Bronte, Strathfield and Punchbowl respectively. Documents and mobile phones were seized.

In the second minute of the game in question, Tandy was penalised for lying on the tackled player in front of the Bulldogs' posts. The Cowboys chose not to take the easy shot at goal and instead took a quick tap and opened the scoring with a try out wide.

Former Sydney Roosters and now Parramatta player Brad Murray, who was the man shown in CCTV footage placing a bet on the Cowboys penalty goal option at a TAB outlet in Flemington, was living with Ayoub, but Eels chief executive Paul Osborne said the player had now moved out. He told the Herald the Eels had encouraged Murray to move so he could concentrate on his football with the season about to begin.

NRL chief executive David Gallop said of the charges involving the three men: ''It's a seriously alarming development. Anyone who is found to be involved in fixing a game or an element of a game is going to find themselves charged by the police and their place in the game, I would say, would disappear.''

Geoff Bellew, the chairman of the Rugby League Accredited Player Agents Scheme committee, said Ayoub's future as a player agent would be discussed at the group's next meeting. It is scheduled for March 17, but could be brought forward.

Yesterday's dramatic developments came only a day after the league staged a successful season launch in Sydney. It remains to be seen now how long the betting matter remains on the game's radar before there is a final resolution.

Katsogiannis said the investigation had not been an easy one, adding: ''It's been quite complex, it's been very difficult. The methodical work by the team at hand, I can't speak highly enough of them. They're only young, but they are committed individuals, very professional in their approach. They didn't allow any of the information, no matter how small it may have been, to go by without checking its veracity and that had a huge impact on the way the outcome of this particular investigation ended up today.''

4 Mar
NRL chief David Gallop yesterday reissued a threat that life bans would apply for any player, agent or official found to have been involved in match-fixing as the game went into shock over the arrests of Sam Ayoub and John Elias.

4 Mar
THE three additional charges laid against Canterbury prop Ryan Tandy yesterday included one of ''having placed a bet on the Bulldogs-Titans game on June 18, 2010'', but there is no suggestion anything untoward happened in that match.

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ONLY a day after the hoopla surrounding the launch of the 2011 rugby league season had subsided, the NRL was rocked by the arrests of a leading player agent, Sam Ayoub, along with his friend, former player, John Elias.

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